May 13 (Bloomberg) -- Michael Sam’s jersey is the No. 2
seller among National Football League rookies, which may
persuade companies to sign endorsement accords with the first
openly gay player to be picked in the league’s draft.

“Every firm wanted to take a wait-and-see approach,” said
Cameron Weiss, who represents the defensive end. “Now we have
waited and are seeing.”

Sam, the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the
Year from the University of Missouri, was selected in the
seventh and final round of the draft three days ago by the St.
Louis Rams. Sam already has signed an endorsement agreement with
Visa Inc., which is also an NFL sponsor.

The only draft pick with higher jersey sales is former
Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, who was
selected 48 hours earlier by the Cleveland Browns in the first
round of the draft on May 8. Manziel won the Heisman Trophy,
given annually to the best college football player, in 2012.

“If you look at the time, and the fact that he’s already
in the top five, that’s instant clout,” Weiss said yesterday in
a telephone interview.

Rounding out the top five sellers are Houston Texans
defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, who was the No. 1 pick in the
draft; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, the
final pick of the first round, and the Jacksonville Jaguars’
Blake Bortles, the first quarterback selected at No. 3.

Fanatics Sales

Fanatics Inc. said the top three rookie sellers are the
same across its network of websites, which includes Fanatics.com
and the online stores for the NFL, Browns and Rams.

Sales of jerseys at various price points are based on
figures at NFLShop.com, the league’s official online store,
according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy. He wouldn’t disclose
specific sales figures.

Nike Inc., which counts Brooklyn Nets forward Jason
Collins, the first openly gay player in the four major U.S.
sports as an endorser, is the NFL’s official jersey supplier.

The buying power of the adult U.S. lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender population was $830 billion last year, according
to Bob Witeck, a gay-marketing strategist and corporate
consultant.

The online store sold as many Manziel No. 2 jerseys
throughout the draft as it sold Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck
and Tim Tebow jerseys during their respective drafts combined,
McCarthy said.

Manziel has applied to trademark “Johnny Football,” his
nickname, which is emblazoned on T-shirts also being sold at the
NFL’s official online store.

Weiss said he’s evaluating endorsement offers to Sam,
declining to give a timetable for his client to sign them. His
jersey sales figures should convert any naysayers, Weiss said.

“There are people who are definitely skeptical what sort
of tangible impact there would be in the marketplace,” Weiss
said. “This sort of answers that question. It’s a finger to the
wind test of what Mike’s marketability looks like.”